The latest European Commission public opinion survey on attitudes towards science and technology points to a need to make research even more open and relevant to the needs of society.
By Horizon staff
A large majority of Europeans believe in the benefits of science, according to the latest Eurobarometer survey on “European citizens’ knowledge and attitudes towards science and technology”.
They want to see those benefits more equitably distributed and are cautious about any potential negative impacts of science.
In the survey, conducted in 27 EU Member States, the Western Balkans, Türkiye and the UK and released on 3 February, more than 8 in 10 citizens (83%) said they see the overall influence of science and technology as positive. Two thirds (67%) said that science and technology improve people’s lives, making them easier, healthier and more comfortable.
“The overall positive attitude towards science and technology is reassuring, as this is essential for achieving our competitiveness goals,” said Ekaterina Zaharieva, European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.
“At the same time, we need to respond to citizens’ expectations for a more equitable distribution of the benefits of science and technology. We should also continue to promote openness, transparency and integrity, while enhancing public engagement of citizens and other stakeholders in research and innovation,” she added.
While almost two thirds of the survey respondents acknowledged that science and technology could help improve the environment and tackle climate change, they still felt that “they mostly help companies make money”.
The EU has supported a wide variety of research fields through its funding programmes, working with research and technology organisations, civil society organisations, private companies, etc.
In doing so, it focuses on strategic fields that can help research and innovation actors become more competitive and sustainable by advancing cutting-edge research that can benefit the economy and citizens.
It also funds important research that may not be profitable and is therefore not prioritised by companies, as is sometimes the case in health, for instance. Likewise, it supports research initiatives that foster international collaboration and help to reduce disparities between EU countries.
Technology must benefit everyone
Responses to several questions showed citizens’ preference for science to be inclusive, benefitting the largest number of people, but also involving them in research.
Asked about the importance of upholding gender equality in science and technology, 69% voiced their belief that it would help us live in a fairer and more equal society, and 63% said it would improve the outcomes of research.
The majority of respondents also stressed the expected positive impact of science on young people: 68% said science will create more opportunities for future generations, while 61% said it prepares young people to act as well-informed citizens.
As many as 77% of those surveyed said research should consider the needs of all groups of people in its work, while 72% think their government should take responsibility to ensure that new technologies benefit everyone.
In a similar way, 63% said that “involving non-scientists in research and technological development ensures that science and technology respond to the needs, values and expectations of society”.
The Horizon Europe Framework Programme devotes funds to citizen science research projects, as well as relevant policy support actions (e.g. European Citizen Science or ongoing pan-European efforts to track biodiversity).
Along the same lines, the vast majority of respondents (80%) feel that results of publicly funded research should be made available online free of charge.
This is in line with the concept of Open Science that the EU is championing, pressing for early and open sharing of knowledge and open access to scientific publications and research data for all publicly funded research.
In Horizon 2020, the share of published open-access papers surged from 65% in 2014 to 86% in 2019, according to an official evaluation report from 2023. Under Horizon Europe, beneficiaries must provide immediate open access to their scientific publications.
AI also in focus
When it comes to the fast-growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), half of the respondents (50%) said they believe AI can advance scientific discoveries related to serious challenges like climate change and diseases.
Just 38% of respondents said they trust scientific research and discoveries created with the help of AI, while a quarter (25%) distrust this type of research. Around 58% have also expressed some concern about the potential of scientific applications to threaten human rights.
The European Commission has recognised the growing role of AI in research, but has stressed the need to tread carefully and safeguard fundamental rights.
Eurobarometer conducts public opinion surveys across Europe on behalf of EU institutions, monitoring public sentiment on particular topics. This latest edition continues a long line of surveys on this topic stretching back decades, with the latest ones in 2021, 2013, 2010 and 2005.
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This article was originally published in Horizon the EU Research and Innovation Magazine.
